Mamavation Slumber Party

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Mamavation has brought new meaning to my life. For the first time in a long time I'm back on track with my fitness and nutrition, and let me just say how truly awesome it feels to be back. 

One recent gain I've experienced is seen through my running. By combining weight training and cardio, I've seen an improvement in my pace, endurance, distance, as well as recovery time. Up until this point I was a 12-13 min/mi runner. I typically could run for several minutes and then would need a walk break before continuing the run, which typically only lasted roughly 3 miles on a good day. And yet in just two short months my pace is up to a 10-12 min/mi, my walk breaks last around 30 seconds, and just yesterday I got in 5 miles, right at an hour. The difference is dramatic, and I'm happy to say, I'm now truly feeling like a runner. 

I've even taken on the goal of running 14 races this year. I've finished one and I'm scheduled for my next in April. And as excited as I am to run my traditional Chickamauga Chase 5k, my first ever road race back in 2010, I'm even more thrilled to register for the 2014 Battle For Chattanooga Metal. I've yet to receive a running metal, and the thought of finishing the required 4 races, one of which will be a half marathon, is simply a dream come true. I've thought about running those 13 miles for the past 4 years and I would love to see that happen this November. 

But simply wishing and hoping doesn't make it so, it takes a plan and dedication. So each week I will write out my weekly training log, drink my 4 liters of water a day, and count all those damn calories because it's worth it to me to finish this goal. Thanks to Mamavation and my team mates, I now know I have the strength and knowledge to make it happen.

This Week's Workout:
Monday: Core, 10k steps
Tuesday: Mama Guns, 30 minute run
Wednesday: 10k steps
Thursday: Core, 30 minute run
Friday: Mama Guns, 10k steps
Saturday: Cardio - 5 mile run
Sunday: Rest

Daily Nutrition:
1400-1600 calories
4 liters of water
protein & fiber with every meal

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Coconut Shea Butter Body Balm

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Winter is always so harsh on my sensitive skin. I typically end up with a painful red rash that covers my upper thighs and hips due to intense dry skin, and after learning that 60% of all substances that we place on our skin soaks straight into the blood stream within seconds, I was determined to discover a clean and effective body lotion. 

So, I took it to Pinterest, and started Pinning. I then noticed a similar ingredient in many DIY lotions: coconut oil and shea butter. Oh, you've heard of these ingredients?! Yeah, me too, but I never truly understood their beneficial factors until I began researching their usefulness!

Coconut Oil:

1. In cooking as a great oil with a high smoke point. Great for baking, stir-frys or as a dairy free replacement to butter.
2. Taken as a supplemental for daily energy
3. On the skin as a basic lotion
4. In homemade deodorants
5. As an eye-makeup remover
6. As a cloth diaper safe diaper cream (just rub on baby’s bottom)
7. To lighten age spots when rubbed directly on the skin
8. To prevent stretch marks during pregnancy
9. To support healthy thyroid function
10. To help increase sun tolerance and avoid burning

And you can find many, many more uses for Coconut Oil by checking out this article by the Wellness Mama.

Shea Butter:
1. Skin moisturizer
2. Natural Anti-Inflammatory
3. Anti-Aging properties
4. Helps to heal burns and scrapes
5. Helps protect the skin from harmful UV rays
6. Great shaving cream to reduce razor irritation
7. Helps restore elasticity to skin
8. Restores luster to hair
9. Evens skin tone
10. Improves blemishes and wrinkles

With all of this great info I knew I wanted to create a daily body lotion that would not only moisturize my skin but also offer other health benefits. 

My Coconut Shea Butter Body Balm:

• 1 cup shea butter
• 1/2 cup virgin coconut oil
• 1/4 cup sweet almond oil with vitamin E
• 50 drops of sweet orange essential oil (or your preferred essential oil)
• Mixed on medium speed for 3 minutes
• Stored in air tight glass jars

I absolutely love the way the mixture becomes a whipped lotion. It's smooth, creamy, easy to apply, absorbs quickly, and never leaves my skin feeling greasy, yet offers full day moisture. This recipe produces about 16 oz of lotion which will generally last me about 2 weeks when I use it daily.

What DIY lotion recipes do you love?

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Mamavation Monday: I'm Back!

My life has been extremely hectic for what seems like close to the past year and yet recently I found my way back to the Sisterhood, the Mamavation Sisterhood that is!

 

In case you aren't aware of this awesome community, Mamavation™ is a online docudrama and weight loss support group for moms in social media. It’s both a campaign and Virtual Sorority™ in one.

 

I've met some wonderful people through this group and have seen some amazing success stories. And if you're looking for a butt load of great information on weight loss, detox, and/or general health, you really should click on the badge and visit the site!

 

Now, we've all read you gotta have a plan to achieve your goals. So, this is where I type out my weekly workout and nutrition goals. I'll post back on them next week, same place, same time.

 

October 14th - October 20th:

Fitness Goal -

• Monday: Week 2 Day 3 (running) #halfmarathontrainer #c13
• Tuesday: Week 2 Day 4 (running) #halfmarathontrainer #c13
• Wednesday: Week 2 Day 5 (circuit training) #halfmarathontrainer #c13
• Thursday: Week 2 Day 6 (running) #halfmarathontrainer #c13 October 17th - #Yeson522 Twitter Party 9:00 pm ET
• Friday: Week 2 Day7 REST!
• Saturday: Belly Dancing!!!! Birthday Party!!
• Sunday: Week 3 Day 1 (running) #HalfMarathonTrainer #c13

 

Nutritional Goal -

• Keep calories at 1200/day
• Drink 64 ounces of water/day
• Salads for dinner

Mamavation Goal -

• Check FB page daily
• Link up Mamavation post
• Read 5 posts from other Sistas
• Attend Twitter Party!

I hope you are all doing well, Sistas!!

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Mamavation Monday: Honey, You Better Run That Butt Off.

Saturday I ran the Chickamauga Chase 5K and loved it! To make a super long story short, it had rained Friday so we couldn't park at the...park. We hitched a ride on some school buses and the race was delayed by about 30 minutes. I peed in a coffee cup because well, I had to pee soooooooo bad and there were no bathrooms around so I snuck off and did my thing. Seriously, I think ever runner has a story like that.  :)
So, anyway, I get there, I'm all nostalgic and everything since this was my first 5k, three years ago. I was so excited to be back, and I was looking to beat my run time of 38 minutes. We started off and I had planned to run 3 minuets and walk 2. Oh yeah, do you recall that my Hubs was also suppose to join me on this run? Yep, come to find out his Mom, which was to be our babysitter, ended up going into the hospital early that morning so he stayed home with the kids. 
So, I'm running and I hit 3 minutes but I'm feeling so good that I want to continue. I see several friends and we wave and smile. I then look up to see the hill that kicked my butt the last time around. I kept telling myself I'd walk it. I'd run to it and then walk it. But, as I approached it I was still feeling so good that my legs just kept on and up, up, up I went. I let out a loud, "Yeah!," arms raised and all as I topped that hill. CONQUERED!  I was happy. 
So we were just about to hit the 1.5 mile mark and the wonderful volunteers were handing out water. I remembered last time that coughing fit I had while trying to drink and run so this time around I grab my cup, ran till I was out of the crowd, and then slowed to a walk for a couple of sips. I looked forward to see the photographer who snaps your pic during the race. I knew I wanted a good one so I threw down my cup and  got back into my run. Again, thumbs up, with a nice war cry as I ran passed him. I can't wait to see that shot!
Oh, and I forgot to mention, I was sporting my Red Faced Runners' Wonder Woman run socks. They're pretty much the socks I wear during each race and I love the little cape that flies from the back of them. After the race a woman approached me and congratulated me on a good run. She said she had been following my "flags" on my socks, and that it kept her moving to keep an eye on me. I was so touched. I explained that I'd done the same thing. I was happy to know my socks had made a difference in someone else's run as well as mine. :)
So, {back to the race story} when I hit the turn and began pushing it to the finish line I looked up and saw the clock sitting at 39 minutes. I was a little disappointed that when I actually crossed the line it had just hit 40 minutes. I kept telling myself to check the results time and not to get stuck on the 40, I had just finished a race and should feel good about that. 
A couple hours later the results were up. Three years ago, after training for several months with road running, I placed 29th in my age group with 38 minutes. This year, with only a couple road runs under my belt, I placed 30th in my age group with 38 minutes. :) I was excited, though, that I was able to keep my speed between 10 and 12 minute miles. I did stop a few times for short walk breaks but overall, my legs felt great, my breathing was nice, and the race was really a fun moment. I can't wait to do it again next year!

This post is sponsored by Doctor G and hosted by Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway 
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Mamavation Monday: And I Almost Tried To Do It Without Coffee!

Wow, what a couple of weeks I've had! 
We are currently in negotiations for a home as well as I'm getting all kinds of paper work together for my new job. I'm stressed, but, I'm also having alot of fun.
Last weekend I ran the Color Me Chattanooga. It was a local Color Me Rad run to benefit children and adults with special needs. My family joined me for the event but I ran the race alone. However, I did run it with a couple hundred other, very enthusiastic, young people. They all seemed to enjoy being covered in colorful cornstarch...me, not so much. My lungs were actually burning the rest of the day after inhaling all that "love". Anyway, I ran a good 12 minute mile and finished it in 29 minutes. It wasn't a complete 5k but close to it. And, after finishing the run my husband shared that he'll run the next race with me...I then informed him that the next race was coming up in 2 weeks! That's right, it's a week away now and I'm starting to get excited!!
The Chickamauga Chase was the first 5k I ever ran back in 2010. I'm totally thrilled to experience the race again, along with my husband, but I'm so secretly crossing my fingers that my run time will be a couple minutes quicker. I do have to admit, when I do a run/walk program while on my runs my time has moved up from a 12 minute mile to a 10 and 11 minute mile. It's great to see progress!
And, starting tomorrow {Monday} I begin the Fast Metabolism Diet. I received this book last week and have finished it already. That's a huge feat in itself, I usually don't make it to the end of a book. I know, heart breaking to some of you book lovers out there {including my Hubs}. Anyway, the idea of this book is to eat particular food types through out the week to confuse the metabolism but also to eat large enough quantities to get out of the starvation mode. No more counting calories but instead revving up the metabolism to burn fat. 
So, there it is, a quick glimpse into my life. Below is the workout plan I'd like to follow this week, but I always tend to back it down the week before a race so I may only focus on a 3 day workout week. I hope you all having fun and making it happen!!
Workout Schedule: Monday: Run Tuesday: Run Wednesday: Weight training Thursday: Weight Training Friday, Saturday, and Sunday: Yoga
This schedule is based on the recommendations of the Fast Metabolism Diet.
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Mamavation Monday: Running The Race

So, this past Saturday was the Mamavation 5K...and it was AWESOME!

I decided to run my 5K at the local high school track Saturday morning. I had taken the week off from running, afraid I'd end up hurting myself in some freaky way, believe me, it's happened before. So, Saturday morning I was up, dressed, and ready to run. I used the MapMyRun app and really enjoyed it. I was able to see my distance, map, and speed all on the main page. I ran between 10 and 12 minute miles and really began to feel the difference in the paces.

Also, I relied on Chi Running to help toward the end. I actually got the whole lean running and just allowing your feet to follow behind your upper body. It was nice and I certainly plan on using it again.

So, overall, I ran my 3.12 miles in 37 minutes. I first had thought my timer said 36 minutes but upon rechecking my data, it was actually 37...still a minute quicker than my first 5k, almost three years ago. AND...I ran this one nonstop. This is the 1st race I can say that about! Yeah, I'm pretty excited about it. :)

I totally loved this virtual race, knowing there were others running the same day, all in different areas, challenging themselves and others. I plan on making my Saturday mornings my Get-Out-And-Run days. I loved being outside and the feel of road running versus treadmill just can't be beat. It's a whole new workout!

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Mamavation Monday: Virtual 5k

Ok, so I'm a little more than excited about this upcoming Virtual Mamavation 5K. I have one week to finish up my Couch to 5K plan and I'll be running this coming Saturday! 
And what is a virtual race you ask? It's typically a large group of people, from over a large area, say the whole U.S., that come together on a particular day, use a running app {MapMyRun} and run a 5K. We will be posting on Twitter using the hashtag #Mamavation5K if you'd like to follow along. And, at the end we'll be sporting an awesome pic of ourselves after the run. I can't wait to post my smiling face! It will be a great accomplishment for me this year. I've struggled hard to get back into a workout routine, and even though I'm not where I'd like to be in many areas, I'm trying to make the most of it, and really appreciate the small milestones.
I think my only challenges will be: 1. running outside. I've been training on a treadmill and I so know the difference between running on a powered belt compared to moving my body on the ground. It is so different.  And 2. I'll need to find my pace. I've been doing great with running 3 minutes at a faster pace and then taking a breather with a 2 minute slower pace. It's really helped with my endurance on the long run. But, again, without the treadmill, I'm gonna have to remember what those speeds felt like. I know there are pace gadgets to help and the app I'm using will show speed so I'm hoping this will help. 
Overall, I'm ready. I've been visualizing the run as I run on my treadmill. It may sound odd, but you really have to be prepared mentally to make your body do something that it may want to call quits in the middle of doing. You gotta know how to shut the right brain down and run with your heart, and that's what I love about running...just pushing it and discovering my strength.
This week's workout schedule: Monday: C25K wk 8, d 3,  Tuesday: C25K wk 9, d 1 Wednesday: C25K wk9, d2 Thursday: bike Friday: bike Saturday: C25K wk 9, d 3. I'm gonna start with the running program and then keep going until I've finished my 5K!
What about You? How are You making it happen this week??
This post is sponsored by Roni Noone and Mamavation – a community dedicated to obesity prevention & weight loss for women and I’m writing this to be entered into a giveaway.


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Mamavation Monday: Steppin' It Up With A Run

This past week has been exciting! I truly enjoyed my daily salads and since I've cut out the coffee creamer, I've seen a huge difference in my cravings and calories. I also went to the doctor last week and was pleasantly surprised to see I'd gained 12 pounds in the past 4 months. What the hell!!!!! Seriously!!! Yes.

So, I shared my concerns with my doctor and he said I needed to cut my calories to 1200 a day and exercise more. Ok. I'm also going back in two months to see if anything has changed or to see if maybe we need to look at my thyroid. Honestly, I'd love to pop a pill and shrink in size {thyroid meds} but it's really not all that easy and who said life had to be easy or fair? You just gotta do it, right? Right.

So, I've spent the last past couple of days trying out the 1200 calories and I'm happy to say it's pretty do able. If I keep my sugar intake low, exercise, eat my salads, and drink my water I actually can handle it. I mean, this is what I want...I want to be healthy and strong and so these are the things I need to do to make that happen.

Also, {and I love this} I had a great run this past Saturday where I worked on interval running. I'm currently on week 7 of the Couch to 5K which is pretty much 25 minute runs now, but I was a little disappointed in my run time so I thought I'd try some speed training. For three minutes I run close to my max {I'm still having to pace myself} and then for 2 minutes I back it down to a slow jog. I alternate between these speeds for the 25 minutes and it seems it averages out to an 11 minute mile...not bad and with time I'll keep speeding up.

Ok, so for this week's workouts:

Monday: C25K, 30 minute bike ride

Tuesday: 30 minute bike ride, Shed 5 Fast

Wednesday: C25K, 30 minute bike ride

Thursday: 30 minute bike ride, Shed 5 Fast

Friday: C25K, 30 minute bike ride

Saturday and Sunday: Free to do as I please!

And lastly, I'm so looking forward to the Mamavation 5K. I've been running most of my time on the treadmill so running outside will be a bit of a challenge, but I'm up for it! :) I hope you all had wonderful week and I look forward to reading about your success!!

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My Journey Towards Health

I don't recall at what age it started, the moment I looked at myself, realizing others were looking at me as well, but it happened, just as I'm sure it happens to so many of us. And then it also seems the extra, unhealthy weight creeps up without any alarms or bells going off...it just happens as well.
I've been overweight for about 10 years now, since the birth of my second child. My weight has bounced around some, when I exercise it goes down and when I stop, it comes back up. I've never been good with counting calories. I take that back, I'm horrible at counting calories. I do restrict myself from sodas and I refuse to stock my house with chips and ice cream, but still, I eat way too much and don't move enough and this is impacting my health and my mood. 
I'll write later about my thoughts on body image, support groups, and the what not, right now it's mainly just an introduction to my journey to health. It's not easy...it's almost damn too hard, but it has to be done, or at least, I want it to be done. I want to be healthy for my kids. I want to look good in and out of clothes. I want to hear others say, "wow, you look great today..." I miss hearing that. I want my health and well being to be a priority again. 
So, here we go...again. 
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